Tuiles - Almond biscuit

This morning I heard the news : a couple of skydiver having sex while jumping,

A video was shown... amazing to hear something like that on the news !

Well it made me laugh, poor couple :) 

I was actually thinking of doing a drawing of skydiving with a tuile as a parachute,

It seems even more appropriate ...

- with the tuiles recipe -

The "tuiles", are commonly almond flavoured 

- as shown above -

They are delicious with an icecream,

and a good way to use eggwhites

Really crusty, with a nice taste of sugar

Here is Vovoï's recipe

   You will need :   

1 eggwhite or 3tbsp. of heavy whipping cream

1.5oz of white sugar (40gr)

a small 1/4 cup of flour (1oz/30gr)

3tbsp of sliced almonds

A frozen orange

Turn on the oven at 430°F

Mix the cream with the sugar, it has to be a bit foamy,

- or the eggwhite -

then you can add the flour, 

When you have a nice and creamy mix, add small and thin slices of the frozen orange

To finish, add the sliced almonds, and mix carefully so they won't break too much

Prepare a parchment paper on your tray, and put a nutsize of that preparation for each tuile,

Use a fork to flatten it as much as you can, using the almonds to make it flatter

The almonds allows them to be flat, otherwise they would be biscuits.

- I had some issues at first, Vovoï didn't say to put any almonds in it -

Put them in the oven for 15 minutes, they have to be gold everywhere

Then, use a spatula to put them on your rolling pin or a small bottle/glass

to give them the curve

They get cooler really fast so you have to be quick to curve them,

don't burn yourself by rushing

- but when they get cooler, they get harder ! -

- you can put them in melted chocolate, and then in the fridge ;) -

Enjoy with ice cream or regular cream ;)

Stuffed Sole filets

Autumn is definitely here ! Weather got cooler, mushrooms are prolific.

It's also black truffle season coming, enjoy :)

Last night meal, first try of a "fish dish" from Vovoï's cookbook.

I wanted something light, I had to make a few changes to the recipe, but it was still delicious.

In this recipe, you have to "poach" the fish, there is two whole pages in Vovoï's cookbook about this technique, that I've resumed for you at the end of that post.

According to me, it was easy enough and pretty quick

15 minutes to prepare, 45 minutes to cook

   You will need :   

Sole filets

- 2 par personne -

cod fish filet, grated

- there wasn't any fresh ones -

1 or 2 truffles

- there wasn't any either :( -

a half pound of mushrooms for 2 person

a good white wine

- I took a burgandy Chablis -

Chopped parsley

- I used a dry mix of parsley + other herbs, like cilantro -

1 slice of old bread for 2 person

- 1 slice of regular white bread is ok  -

1 glass of hot milk 

- put the crumb of the bread in it -

1 tsbp of butter

- I replaced it with 1tbsp of heavy whipped cream -

Turn on the oven at 340°F 

- my translation of "medium" -

Start by cooking half of the mushrooms with the butter in a pan, on medium fire

- or the cream and the dry herbs -

Chop the parsley with the truffles and those mushrooms

Add the bread crumb that was in the milk 

- I added a hint of grated parmesan to that mix -

Display your sole filets on you chopping board and spread the stuffing you've made on them 

- put less of it on one of the end to roll them easily -

If you have some, use a string to keep them rolled.

- I have everything... but a regular string... - 

If you don't have any, no big deal, it works without !

They will slightly open during the cooking and it will be harder to serve them, that's all

Put them in a dish, in which you put the rest of your mushrooms and truffles, 

some salt and pepper and pour white wine at 1/4 of the filet, finish with the same amount of water

Your filet are half under liquid

Put it in the oven for 45 minutes

Serve with pastas and a glass of white wine

- I didn't have the right pastas, It goes well with rice, greens.... suggestions :) -

 - Even watching Fringe didn't disturb us from our meal ! -

---------------------

To poach

Filet cooking has to be made at short boiling/broth "court-bouillon"with no boiling, 

that's the caracteristic of poaching. 

If it boils, filets will twist and distort.

The best way to cook them is to poach thm with butter only, with a few drops of lemon juice

- but that's too much butter -

So we use butter OR wine, diluted in water

For 4 filets of 0.8 oz each,

 Use 0.8oz of butter and 3 tbsp of water

Or 2tbsp of water for 1 tbsp of white wine

When the dish is in the oven, check on boiling signs, as soon as it begins, 

lower down the temperature to keep that short boiling and moderate the cooking

----------------------

Regular cookies, flavoured cookies ready to eat

A lot a lot a lof of little cookies !

Lemon and poppyseed (Poppy!) 

Orange

Nature

- vanilla flavoured -

Chocolate

Marbled

This is today's sweetness, I had in the freezer a half-cookie dough waiting to be used

I've cut it in four and made 4 kind of cookies to go with my crème patissière 

- the recipe will be here soon -

You can see the different flavours right here !

   You will need :   

a cookie dough

- that I gave you already -

a frozen orange

- mise au congelateur -

poppy seeds and a lemon

unsweetened cocoa

Turn on the oven at 300°F

For the poppyseed + lemon flavoured, the easiest way is to add 1 tbsp of poppyseed in the flour, and some lemon juice with the egg.

For the orange flavoured ones, take the frozen orange and once your dough is done, grate the zest on the dough, mix it a bit and flatten the dough, it goes straight in the oven

For the chocolate ones, add the cocoa with the flour

For the marbled one, use the rest of the regular dough and what's left of the cocoa one, fold them together twice and flatten the dough.

Otherwise, you can add everything at the end, once your dough has been reserved in the fridge a bit. 

But you will probably need to add more flour when working the dough, otherwise it will stick on your hands and on the table. (especially the poppyseed-lemon one)

Flatten the dough to reach  3 à 4mm thick (0.1 to 0.15 inch), 

put in the oven on a tray for 13 to 18 minutes, 

depending on your cooking time preferences !

You cant taste them warm, just as they are, or with cream, yogourt, ice cream, a hot drink....

enjoy!

Out of butter already ?!

Oh, sure... that's why they are so good !

Crème anglaise - Light custard

In the basics family, here comes the crème anglaise ! (english cream)

A little sweetness for you, your guests and your desserts
(chocolate, fruits... everything actually) Its vanilla touch goes with everything...
I've put some in my yogurt and fresh berries this morning.... :p

For a correct amount (6 to 8 servings)

It takes around 20 minutes to make

  You will need :   

3 egg yolks

0.4 cup of sugar (3.2 oz. / 90gr)

- I put 1/3 cup of regular and 1 pack of vanilla sugar (12gr) -

10 fl oz. of milk (30cL)

- 2% reduced fat milk -

 2 fl oz. of heavy whipping cream (6cL)

1/2 vanilla bean, opened and grated

- or 2 tsp. vanilla extract -

In a wet casserole,

- so the milk won't stick the inner surface -

Put the milk, the cream and the vanilla bean/extract 

- that you have grated inside the milk of course -

Put it on medium/high temperature, until it boils

In the meantime, put the yolks and the sugar in a medium bowl and beat it until it gets creamy and white

Once the milk/cream is starting to boil, remove the vanilla bean,

 and pour the milk in the egg/sugar bowl, mix it

Once it's homogeneous, put everything back in the casserole on medium temperature

And mix it non-stop for 5 minutes with a wooden spoon

- it must not boil, or stick/cook on the inner surface, that's why it's important to mix it and keep it smooth -

After 5 minutes, it will be a bit thicker,
and you can pour it in a bowl while filtering it
Let it cool down

You can't keep it a long time in the fridge, so enjoy it :)

- on a chocolate cake topped with a raspberrie :) -

Classic madeleine with no baking powder

Other flavour : vanilla and apricot >here<

A real treat... I often use madeleines in my drawings, their unusual shape give them such a personality, they are also really cute, really tasty, soft, with a hint of lemon, slightly crusty on the edge but buttery inside... should I say I love them ?
The secret of the madeleine is the resting of the dough, otherwise it won't rise up
It doesn't need baking powder !

- There was two recipe in the cookbook, I chose the left one, the right one would'nt be as good -

For around 16 regular-sized madeleines : 

2 big eggs

 0.6 cup of white sugar (5.3oz / 150gr)

1/2 cup of melted butter (4.4 oz / 125gr)

1.1 cup of flour (5.3 oz / 150 gr)

The shredded zest of a yellow lemon

- baking powder is not needed, if you put 1tsp, it will be lighter, that's all and the bump won't be as cute -

Turn on the oven at 430°F

Mix the eggs and sugar to obtain a white, foamy, soft cream,

 - you have to mix it at least 4 minutes -

Add slowly the flour by doing small circular movements with a wooden spoon,

- + baking powder if there is -

Add the melted butter, keep the dough light, vertical movements instead of horizontal ones

- still warm -

Add the lemon zest and mix again carefully

Do not mix it too much, once it's smooth, stop touching it, 

otherwise the madeleines will harden and won't rise that well

Let the dough rest a bit 

- not in the fridge, 25/30 minutes or so -

Put the dough in buttered madeleine pans 

- if they are not silicones -

Don't fill them completely 

 Leave it 7 minutes, then turn down the oven at 300°F and let it bake 3 to 4 more minutes

 If they are golden with a big hump, it's perfect, 

if they are too white, leave it one more minute
Depending if you have a metallic mold or a silicone one, you have to adapt the cooking time

- Yes you will feel the need to check how they are doing in there ! -

And they rised up well :D !

- mini-madeleines in silicon mold -

Let me know if you try :) You can change the lemon flavor with orange, vanilla, chocolate, add spices... I'll come to that in another post, after all the basics will be posted :)

Gougères - Cheese Puff

They have so much success when I have guests... and they are so easy to make !

Classic french appetizer, suits champagne perfectly

(I might try with some bacon in it)

Follow the recipe of the pâte à choux,

I precise in it the moment where your choux will become gougères

You have your bowl, full of warm dough, your eggs have been well mixed in it,

your dough is soft and light, 

Add 1tsp of nutmeg, another dash of salt, and a handful of shredded cheese 

- I add the shredded parmeggiano from Trader's Joe -

Mix it well !

Then you can go back to the pâte à choux recipe, you make nut-shaped puff with the dough, 

and before putting the tray in the oven, add some more cheese on the top of them so they will have a really nice aspect and color.

Cooking time is the same as in the pâte à choux recipe, remove them carefully from the wax paper and you can enjoy them while they are still warm.

I always have some in the freezer, put them in ziplocs, well closed and when you want to use them, 

take them out in a dish, for a half an hour, then 5 minutes in the oven at low temperature

 to warm them up, they will be ready to eat in no time.

Bon appetit :p 

Pâte à choux - Cream puff dough

Little puff, a lot of little puffs ! That you can fill of cream, jam, chocolate, ice cream... 

you can make desserts, salted apetizer and many more things ! One of the basic recipes in France.

Here is the main recipe for  more or less twenty little puffs

3,3 fl oz. of milk (10cL)

2 fl oz of water (6cL)

1/4 cup of butter (2oz / 60gr)

1/2 + cup of flour (2.65oz / 75gr) 

3 eggs

a hint of salt

Put in a pan the milk, the water, the butter in pieces and the salt

- for a dessert use, add 1sp. of white sugar, and drops of vanilla  -

Stay close, as soon as the boiling starts,

remove the pan from the heat, and put the flour all at once.

Start mixing with a wooden spoon with energy, 

and put in pack on the heat, at medium/high temperature

The flour must be in really quickly, 

and keep mixing for a few minutes, do not stop, you have to make the dough "work"

When the dough is ready, she will be slightly yellow, and it doesn't stick at all in the pan

You can then put it in a bowl, and add the eggs one by one.

They may seem hard to mix in the dough, but keep mixing after each one, 

you will have a really soft dough.

- This is where the Gougère recipe intervenes -

Turn on the oven at 450°F

On a cooking tray, put some was paper, and make small peaks of a nut size with the dough,

use two teaspoon to do it, space them of ~1.6 inch

Help the sides of the peaks so they stay round, not flat

Put in the oven 5 minutes,

then lower the temperature at 400°F for ten more 10 minutes

Finally, turn the oven off and let it 2/3 opened ten more minutes 

Total : 25 minutes in the oven, just to get prepared for the second row !

- Here they are, ready to be filled or eaten :p -